Aged Copper Gutters

Copper gutters and downspouts get an elegant blue green patina as they age thanks to the magic of oxidation.

Aged copper gutters.

If you know how to age copper artificially however you can achieve the same effect much more quickly almost overnight. At the minimum you should choose 16 ounce copper gutters but depending on the weather and rainfall in your location 20 ounce copper may be a better choice. But if patina isn t your thing you can keep copper gutters and downspouts shiny and warm colored by putting a protective coating on them each year and polishing them with a solution made for copper. Copper gutters will transform from their warm metallic shine to a soft matte green.

You will never have to paint them. Rather than corroding copper builds a patina on its surface which protects it from the watery destruction that befalls other metals. How long does it take copper gutters to oxidize. Yes copper gutters turn green as they oxidize giving them their distinctive patina.

Gutter quality copper gutters are fabricated from 16 to 20 ounce copper. This popular low cost metal won t rust and comes in an array of colors including ones that resemble aged copper and zinc. Copper and zinc gutters can survive 60 years with minimum maintenance and well past 100 years if installed and inspected properly. When allowed to age naturally copper can take years to develop what s called the verdigris patina especially in dry climates.